Does OTM ammo make very good hunting ammo? I know it's accurate, but I don't know much about the terminal ballistics of this type of projectile. I'm mainly interested in it for hogs or the possibility of bipedal vermin.
Federal Gold Medal Open Tip Match ammo
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rockchalk06
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One thing to keep in mind, most ammo manufactures make bullets for hunting and for target. They need to sell both and will market it as such. Google their Law Enforcement website and see what they say about the load. As a general rule of thumb, Match/Target bullets will have a thicker jacket and Hunting will have thicker thinner. I've killed deer with both and both have killed them DRT with a high shoulder shot.
175 Gold Metal which uses the SMK. 175 Grain BTHP
le.vistaoutdoor.com
168 Hornady TAP which uses the ELD-M Bullet.
I'm a really big fan of the Berger Hybrid Target and the Berger Elite Hunter bullets. They are basically the same bullet, fly the same, load the same and jump the same. Difference is the jacket. I think the EH will frag earlier from what I've read. Hitting a deer with a high shoulder shot and an EH bullet inside 400 yards is a light switch. I don't have a ton of data to support EH v's HT, but I felt like the EH was a 32oz Louisville Slugger v's a 20oz on the HT for what I've killed.
175 Gold Metal which uses the SMK. 175 Grain BTHP
Law Enforcement - Federal Premium LE, Speer LE, BLACKHAWK!, Eagle - Rifle Details
See Federal Premium LE Rifle details
168 Hornady TAP which uses the ELD-M Bullet.
I'm a really big fan of the Berger Hybrid Target and the Berger Elite Hunter bullets. They are basically the same bullet, fly the same, load the same and jump the same. Difference is the jacket. I think the EH will frag earlier from what I've read. Hitting a deer with a high shoulder shot and an EH bullet inside 400 yards is a light switch. I don't have a ton of data to support EH v's HT, but I felt like the EH was a 32oz Louisville Slugger v's a 20oz on the HT for what I've killed.
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rockchalk06
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One other thing. When I got my Tikka, all I had on hand were 147 Grain ELD-M bullets, Hornady Brass, 210M's and H4350. 2020 sucked a big fat dick. I needed to put together some loads to break it in and hurry up and kill a hog with it. I had one shot and hit it right behind the neck broadside about 120 yards away. It folded up and kicked it's legs a few times then the dirt nap. I can't find any damn pictures of it on my phone. I'm wondering if they did not get uploaded to Google Photos and that was 3 phones ago.
Anyway, I loaded mine to about 2650 to match factory stuff and it killed really good. That was in my rifle this past deer season. I didn't get a shot, but I was pretty damn confident it would do the trick.
Anyway, I loaded mine to about 2650 to match factory stuff and it killed really good. That was in my rifle this past deer season. I didn't get a shot, but I was pretty damn confident it would do the trick.
I have only seen the aftermath of 168 SMKs a few times and they were devastating. This isn’t scientific by any stretch but it seems like the exterior cavitation damage is pretty off the charts. I’d hazard that it’s probably only 75-90 grains of the base make a full penetration in deer sized game. If you’re meat hunting I’d probably look at something a little bit more monolithic. A bonded soft point is a safe bet for mass retention. I’m very curious to try the solid copper tumble on impact rounds myself.
Not to be argumentative here, but if you're meat hunting, shoot them somewhere you aren't going to get much meat from, head/ neck, behind the shoulder. Game animal wise I have only shot two animals at longer range. One Antelope at around 550, just to see if I could, and one Caribou behind the should at about 190 using a stock 03-A3. Everything else has been under 100 and at those ranges it is easy not to hit too much meat even using iron sights on an M1A, which is what I have used since the mid 70s
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I bet these acted like lazer beamsOne other thing. When I got my Tikka, all I had on hand were 147 Grain ELD-M bullets, Hornady Brass, 210M's and H4350. 2020 sucked a big fat dick. I needed to put together some loads to break it in and hurry up and kill a hog with it. I had one shot and hit it right behind the neck broadside about 120 yards away. It folded up and kicked it's legs a few times then the dirt nap. I can't find any damn pictures of it on my phone. I'm wondering if they did not get uploaded to Google Photos and that was 3 phones ago.
Anyway, I loaded mine to about 2650 to match factory stuff and it killed really good. That was in my rifle this past deer season. I didn't get a shot, but I was pretty damn confident it would do the trick.
